Malware campaign uses YouTube videos as propagation vector

Malwarebytes Labs reports about a new data theft malware targeting Fortnite gamers which camouflages itself as a cheat tool and stealing their data after being run.

Because of Fortnite's immense popularity, threat actors have moved in with a specially crafted malware campaign designed to compromise and steal data and cryptocurrency from gamers.

The malware peddled by these crooks conceals itself in the form of a pretend cheat tool for Fortnite linked below a multitude of videos demoing the pretend cheats.

In one specific case, Malwarebytes' Christopher Boyd saw the scammers redirecting would-be Fortnite cheaters to a page where they are asked to subscribe to the scammers' YouTube channel as payment for the cheat tool.

Once the victims subscribe, the crooks redirect them to the download portal where, after a couple of other mouse clicks, the gamers are finally brought on the download page of the peddled malware.

The page revealed that the malware already was downloaded more than 1,200 times and, according to Boyd's analysis, it contains a data stealer malware which will start scanning for cookies, Steam sessions, and Bitcoin wallets ready to be plundered.

The data stealer scans for Bitcoin wallets, Steam sessions, and cookies which it exfiltrates to its masters

As described by Malwarebytes Labs in their report, the malware payload this campaign is pushing is not always the same, with multiple malicious tools being distributed using this attack vector.

Also, each malware payload has its way of exfiltrating data, but all of them have the same modus operandi: get on the victim's computer, start enumerating resources according to a pre-defined list and then use a custom method of sending the stolen information to the bad actor behind the campaign.

Because of the common ground for all malware spread to Fortnite gamers through this campaign, the only possible advice for avoiding getting one's data stolen is not cheating when playing online games.

Even if the game's developers aren't able to detect and ban cheaters off of their servers, scammers will always be around trying to peddle their malware-ridden "cheating tools" which will steal data with no remorse.